Ligating devices have been successfully used in surgical procedures for many years. One such device has a looped suture disposed at the end of a tubular shaft and means for drawing the suture loop to a tightly closed position at a desired location in the surgical site. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,476,114 and 3,476,115. A typical problem with the manufacture and operation of such ligature devices is that the suture loop must be secured by a one-way knot. That is, the loop must be free to contract but, at the same time, resist any subsequent enlargement. Such one-way knots can require complex manipulation of the suture portion to form the knot, making the manufacture of such ligatures to be a complicated and costly process.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a ligating device which either requires no knot or a simple knot which is easier and less costly to manufacture than presently available devices.